TWI461895B - Power switching system, computer system, and reboot controlling method thereof - Google Patents

Description

Power switching system, computer system and method for restarting the same

The invention relates to a power switching system, a computer system and a method for restarting the same, in particular to a power switching system, a computer system and a method for restarting the system for conveniently removing the power signal.

With the advancement of technology, the types of electronic products are increasingly diversified, and the design of today's electronic products is also aimed at light, thin, short, and small. Therefore, a thin and flat tablet computer system has been developed. However, in the prior art, the structure of a general tablet computer is thin and light for the body, so the battery is usually built-in and cannot be plugged and unplugged. As a result, if the software or hardware architecture of the tablet computer cannot be executed due to serious problems, the user cannot perform a Global Reset method to remove the power supply to try to solve the problem. The user must take the tablet to a professional service office and hand it to the service personnel to remove the tablet case and remove the battery. Users can't easily remove the obstacles on the tablet by themselves, which is quite time-consuming and labor-intensive for the user, and also increases the maintenance cost of the maintenance personnel.

In view of this, it is necessary to invent a new power switching system, a computer system and a method of restarting the control, so that the user can simply remove the power supply of the computer system for simple obstacle elimination work.

The main object of the present invention is to provide a power switching system having an effect of facilitating removal of a power signal.

Another main object of the present invention is to provide a computer system for applying the power switching system

Yet another primary object of the present invention is to provide a method for restart control of such a system.

To achieve the above objects, the power switching system of the present invention is used in a computer system. The computer system includes a power supply module. The power switching system includes a first power input terminal, a first power output terminal, a first linear voltage regulator module, and a first switch module. The first power input end is electrically connected to the power supply module for inputting the first power signal. The first power output is used to output a second power signal. The first linear voltage regulator module includes a first transformer unit and a first switching control unit. The first voltage conversion unit is electrically connected to the first power input end and the first power output end for converting the first power signal into the second power signal. The first switching control unit is electrically connected to the first transforming unit for controlling the first transforming unit. The first switch module is electrically connected to the first switching control unit, the first power input end and the ground end. When the first switch module is actuated, the first switching control unit is connected to the ground to further control the first transformer unit to stop outputting the second power signal.

The computer system of the present invention includes a power supply module, a control module, and a power switching system. The power switching system is electrically connected to the power supply module and the control module. The power switching system includes a first power input terminal, a first power output terminal, a first linear voltage regulator module, and a first switch module. The first power input end is electrically connected to the power supply module for inputting the first power signal. The first power output is used to output a second power signal. First linear stability The pressure module includes a first transformer unit and a first switching control unit. The first voltage conversion unit is electrically connected to the first power input end and the first power output end for converting the first power signal into the second power signal. The first switching control unit is electrically connected to the first transforming unit for controlling the first transforming unit. The first switch module is electrically connected to the first switching control unit, the first power input end and the ground end. When the first switch module is actuated, the first switching control unit is connected to the ground to further control the first transformer unit to stop outputting the second power signal.

The method for restarting control of the present invention comprises the steps of: receiving a power signal for transmission to a control module; stopping transmission of a power signal to a control module; performing a boot process to resume receiving a power signal; determining whether to activate the first switch module To stop transmitting the power signal to the control module; if not, execute a normal restart procedure; and if so, perform a special reboot procedure.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more <

Please refer to FIG. 1 for a circuit architecture diagram of a first embodiment of a computer system and a power switching system of the present invention.

In the first embodiment of the present invention, the power supply switching system 10a is used in the computer system 1a. The computer system 1a may be an electronic product such as a tablet computer or a smart phone, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The computer system 1a has a power supply module 2 and a load element 3. The power supply module 2 can be a battery The module or an external power supply device is used to supply power signals to the computer system 1a. The load component 3 is a component of the computer system 1a that is required to receive a power signal to operate. The power signal of the power supply module 2 is converted by the power switching system 10a and then transmitted to the load element 3 for use by the load element 3.

The power switching system 10a includes a first linear voltage regulator module 21, a first switch module 31, a first power input terminal 51, a first power output terminal 52, and other passive components, such as a capacitor C, a resistor R, and the like. The first power input terminal 51 is electrically connected to the power supply module 2 to receive the first power signal V1 from the power supply module 2 . In the first embodiment of the present invention, the first power signal V1 is a signal of 5 volts, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

The first linear regulator module 21 includes a first transforming unit 211 and a first switching control unit 212. The first power conversion unit 211 is electrically connected to the first power input terminal 51 and the first power output terminal 52 to receive the first power signal V1, and then convert the first power signal V1 into the second used supply component 3. Power signal V2. The second power signal V2 is then output to the load element 3 via the first power output 52. In the first embodiment of the present invention, the second power signal V2 is a signal of 3.3 volts, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

The first switching control unit 212 is electrically connected to the first voltage transformation unit 211 for controlling the first voltage transformation unit 211 to determine whether to continuously output the second power signal V2. The first switch module 31 is electrically connected to the first linear voltage regulator module 21, the first power input terminal 51, and the ground terminal G. The first switch module 31 is configured to control the first switching control unit 212 of the first linear regulator module 21 to determine whether to continue or stop outputting the second power signal V2 to negative. Carrier element 3.

When the first switch module 31 is activated, the first switch control unit 212 is electrically connected to the ground terminal G, so that the potential of the first switch control unit 212 is lowered to the ground, and the first switch control unit 212 further controls the first voltage change. The unit 211 stops outputting the second power signal V2 to the load element 3. The actuation mode of the first switch module 31 can be achieved by pressing or knob, but the invention is not limited thereto. In this way, since the load component 3 cannot continuously receive the second power signal V2, the user can completely discharge the load component 3 in the computer system 1a by controlling the first switch module 31 to achieve complete re-production. purpose.

It should be noted that the first power input terminal 51 and the first power output terminal 52 can also be electrically connected to the capacitor C for voltage regulation. At the same time, other passive components, such as resistor R, may be provided in the power switching system 10a, and the present invention is not limited to the circuit shown in FIG. Since the design of the passive component in the circuit layout has been widely used by those skilled in the art and is not a technical feature of the present invention, the principle will not be described herein.

2 is a circuit diagram of a second embodiment of the computer system and power switching system of the present invention.

In the second embodiment of the present invention, the computer system 1b includes a power supply module 2, a control module 4, a central processing module 5, and a power switching system 10b. The power supply module 2 is electrically connected to the first power input terminal 51 and the second power input terminal 53 for respectively supplying the first power signal V1 and the third power signal V3 to the components in the computer system 1b. It should be noted that the present invention does not limit the power signals of the first power signal V1 and the third power signal V3 that are the same or different voltages and currents. At the same time, the invention also The power supply module 2 is not limited to directly output the first power signal V1 and the third power signal V3, that is, the power signal can be output from the power supply module 2, and then become the first power signal V1 or the third after the voltage conversion. Power signal V3.

Both the control module 4 and the central processing module 5 can be constructed by hardware or firmware combined with hardware, but the invention is not limited to this architecture. The control module 4 can be a keyboard controller for managing programs and other programs when the computer system 1b is turned on and off. The central processing module 5 is used to manage the main processing flow in the computer system 1b. Since the control module 4 and the central processing module 5 are already familiar to those skilled in the art and have been widely used in related electronic devices, the control module 4 and the central processing module 5 will not be described herein. Features.

The power switching system 10b is electrically connected to the power supply module 2, the control module 4, and the central processing module 5, and is configured to control whether the power signal generated by the power supply module 2 is transmitted to the control module 4 and the central processing module. Group 5. The power switching system 10b includes a first linear voltage regulator module 21, a second linear voltage regulator module 22, a first switch module 31, a second switch module 32, a trigger module 41, a first power input terminal 51, The first power output terminal 52, the second power input terminal 53, and the second power output terminal 54.

The first power input terminal 51 and the second power input terminal 53 are directly or indirectly connected to the power supply module 2 for inputting the first power signal V1 and the third power signal V3, respectively. The first power input terminal 51 is electrically connected to the first voltage conversion unit 211 of the first linear voltage regulator module 21 to receive the first power signal V1, and then converts the first power signal V1 into the supply control module 4 The second power signal V2 is used. Finally via the first power output 52 transmits the second power signal V2 to the control module 4.

The first switching control unit 212 of the first linear regulator module 21 is used to control the first transforming unit 211. The first switching control unit 212 determines whether to continue or stop outputting the second power signal V2 to the control module 4 according to whether the first switch module 31 is activated. Therefore, the user can completely discharge the control module 4 in the computer system 1b by controlling the actuation of the first switch module 31 to achieve the purpose of complete re-manufacturing.

Since the first linear regulator module 21 and the first switch module 31 are the same as those described in the first embodiment of the present invention, they are not described herein again.

The second linear voltage regulator module 22 includes a second voltage transformation unit 221 and a second switching control unit 222 . The second voltage transformation unit 221 is electrically connected to the second switching control unit 222 . Similar to the first linear regulator module 21, the second transformer unit 221 is electrically connected to the second power input terminal 53 to receive the third power signal V3, and then convert the third power signal V3 to the fourth power source. The signal V4 is output to the central processing module 5 via the second power output 54. The second switching control unit 222 is electrically connected to the first power output terminal 52. When the first switching module 31 is actuated, the first voltage converting unit 211 does not output the second power signal V2, so that the potential of the second switching control unit 222 is lowered to the ground. In this way, the second switching control unit 222 can control the second transformer unit 221 to stop outputting the fourth power signal V4 to the central processing module 5, and completely disable the central processing module 5 to achieve complete re-configuration. At the same time, after the central processing module 5 is powered off, the control module 4 is completely powered off due to the inability to receive the second power signal V2.

The second switch module 32 is electrically connected to the first switch module 31 and simultaneously receives the first power signal V1 from the first power input terminal 51 and the fourth power signal V4 generated by the second voltage transform unit 221 . In FIG. 2, the second switch module 32 is composed of a double MOS transistor, but the present invention does not limit the second switch module 32 to only be constructed by this circuit. When the first switch module 31 is activated, the second switch module 32 generates a potential conversion signal and transmits the signal to the trigger module 41. For example, when the first switch module 31 is activated, the second switch module 32 cannot receive the first power signal V1 and the fourth power signal V4. Therefore, the second switch module 32 generates a "high and low" potential change signal by the action of the double MOS transistor in the second switch module 32. The mode of action of the second switch module 32 is only an example, and the invention is not limited thereto.

The trigger module 41 is electrically connected to the second switch module 32 and the control module 4, and when the second switch module 32 transmits the potential conversion signal to the trigger module 41. The trigger module 41 converts the signal according to the potential to generate a trigger signal, for example, generates a "low to high" trigger signal. Finally, the trigger signal is transmitted to a specific pin of the control module 4. Therefore, when the computer system 1b is restarted and the power is restored, the control module 4 first checks whether it has received the trigger signal. If there is a trigger signal, it can be known that the computer system 1b is powered off because the first switch module 31 is pressed. In this way, the relevant processing procedures can be performed.

Next, please refer to FIG. 3, which is a flow chart of the steps of the method for restarting the computer system of the present invention. It should be noted that the following describes the method for restarting the computer system of the present invention by taking the computer system 1b having the power switching system 10b as an example, but the method of restarting the control of the present invention is not used in the power switching. The computer system 1b of the system 10b is limited.

First, step 300 is performed: receiving a power signal for transmission to the control module.

First, each electronic component such as the control module 4 and the central processing module 5 in the computer system 1b receives a power signal from the power supply module 2 and transmits it to the control module 4. That is, after the first power supply signal V1 is supplied, the power supply module 2 transmits the second power signal V2 to the control module 4 via the first voltage transformation unit 211. On the other hand, the power supply module 2 can also supply the third power signal V3 to transmit the fourth power signal V4 to the central processing module 5 via the second transformer unit 221 .

Next, proceed to step 301: stop transmitting the power signal to the control module.

Secondly, each electronic component such as the control module 4 and the central processing module 5 in the computer system 1b stops receiving the power signal from the power supply module 2. That is, the control module 4 and the central processing module 5 cannot receive the second power signal V2 or the fourth power signal V4.

Then proceed to step 302: performing a boot process to resume receiving the power signal.

Then, the computer system 1b is re-controlled, and the computer system 1b is executed. The power supply module 2 restores the power supply and retransmits the power signal to the computer system 1b. That is, the control module 4 and the central processing module 5 can receive the second power signal V2 or the fourth power signal V4 again.

Then, proceed to step 303: determining whether to stop transmitting the power signal to the control module by actuating the first switch module.

Then, after the power supply is restored, the computer system 1b automatically determines the reason for stopping the reception of the power signal, and determines whether the transmission of the second power signal V2 to the control module 4 is stopped because the relationship of the first switch module 31 is pressed. That is, if the first switch module 31 is controlled by the user to force the computer system 1b to completely reproduce in step 301, the second switch module 32 generates a potential change signal, so that the trigger module 41 is further based on the potential. The conversion signal generates a trigger signal. Next, in this step 303, the computer system 1b determines whether the trigger signal is received by the control module 4 as a basis for the judgment. Since the manner in which the power switching system 10b generates the trigger signal has been described in detail before, it will not be described herein.

If the control module 4 does not receive the trigger signal, it can be determined that the user does not force the computer system 1b to completely reproduce by actuating the first switch module 31. In this case, it may be because the power supply module 2 is too low in power supply, and the power supply module 2 cannot supply the power signal normally.

Therefore, after the power supply module 2 resumes normal power supply, step 304 is performed to execute a normal restart procedure.

Since the power supply module 2 cannot normally supply the power signal and naturally shuts down, the software program or the hardware module portion of the computer system 1b is not damaged. If the condition of the computer system 1b is normal, the control module 4 performs a normal restart procedure on the computer system 1b.

If the control module 4 receives the trigger signal, it can be determined that the user uses the first switch module 31 to force the computer system 1b to completely reproduce. In this case, it may be because the computer system 1b has an abnormality or malfunction that requires complete re-production.

Therefore, when the second power signal V2 is re-outputted to the control module 4, step 305 is executed to execute a special restart procedure.

The control module 4 first performs a special restart procedure on the computer system 1b. For example, the special restarting program may include performing an inspection process on the computer system 1b to comprehensively check the status of the internal software program or the hardware module of the computer system 1b, or the control module 4 may be directed to the computer according to the preset setting. At least one software program or at least one hardware module is internally checked in the system 1b, but the invention is not limited thereto.

It should be noted here that the method for restarting the computer system of the present invention is not limited to the above-described sequence of steps, and the order of the above steps may be changed as long as the object of the present invention can be achieved.

As can be seen from the above description, the user can conveniently perform the complete re-engineering process on the computer system 1a or 1b by using the above-described power switching system 10a or 10b without completely removing the power supply module 2 of the computer system 1a or 1b. To get this effect. And the computer system 1a or 1b can also perform different inspection processes according to different restart conditions.

To sum up, the present invention, regardless of its purpose, means and efficacy, shows its distinctive features of the prior art. You are requested to review the examination and express the patent as soon as possible. It should be noted that the various embodiments described above are merely illustrative for ease of explanation, and the scope of the invention is intended to be limited by the scope of the claims.

1a, 1b. . . computer system

2. . . Power supply module

3. . . Load element

4. . . Control module

5. . . Central processing module

10a, 10b. . . Power switching system

twenty one. . . First linear regulator module

211. . . First transformer unit

212. . . First switching control unit

twenty two. . . Second linear regulator

221. . . Second transformer unit

222. . . Second switching control unit

31. . . First switch module

32. . . Second switch module

41. . . Trigger module

51. . . First power input

52. . . First power output

53. . . Second power input

54. . . Second power output

C. . . capacitance

R. . . resistance

G. . . Ground terminal

V1. . . First power signal

V2. . . Second power signal

V3. . . Third power signal

V4. . . Fourth power signal

1 is a circuit diagram of a first embodiment of a computer system and power switching system of the present invention.

2 is a circuit diagram of a second embodiment of a computer system and power switching system of the present invention.

3 is a flow chart showing the steps of the method for restarting the computer system of the present invention.

1a. . . computer system

2. . . Power supply module

3. . . Load element

10a. . . Power switching system

twenty one. . . First linear regulator module

211. . . First transformer unit

212. . . First switching control unit

31. . . First switch module

51. . . First power input

52. . . First power output

C. . . capacitance

R. . . resistance

G. . . Ground terminal

Claims (18)

A power switching system is used for a computer system. The computer system includes a power supply module. The power switching system includes: a first power input end electrically connected to the power supply module for inputting a a first power supply signal; a first power output terminal for outputting a second power signal; a first linear voltage regulator module, comprising: a first voltage conversion unit electrically connected to the first power input end And the first power output end is configured to convert the first power signal into the second power signal; and a first switching control unit is electrically connected to the first voltage transform unit for controlling the first change And the first switching module is electrically connected to the first switching control unit, the first power input end and a ground end, wherein when the first switch module is activated, the first switching is performed The control unit is connected to the ground to further control the first transformer unit to stop outputting the second power signal. The power switching system of claim 1, wherein the power switching system is electrically connected to a control module, and the power switching system further comprises: a second switch module electrically connected to the first switch module The first connection module is configured to generate a potential conversion signal when the first switch module is activated; and a trigger module is electrically connected to the second switch module for generating a trigger signal according to the potential conversion signal; The first power output terminal and the trigger module are electrically connected to the control module, and the second power signal is transmitted to the control module, and the trigger signal is transmitted when the first switch module is activated. To the control module. The power switching system of claim 2, further comprising: a second power input end electrically connected to the power supply module for inputting a third power signal; and a second power output end For outputting a fourth power signal; and a second linear voltage regulator module, comprising: a second voltage conversion unit electrically connected to the second power input terminal and the second power output terminal for The third power signal is converted into the fourth power signal; and a second switching control unit is electrically connected to the second voltage converting unit and the first power output to control the second according to the second power signal Transforming unit to decide to continue or stop outputting the fourth power signal. The power switching system of claim 3, wherein the fourth power signal is transmitted to a central processing module. The power switching system according to claim 2, wherein the second switch module is a double MOS transistor. The power switching system of claim 1, wherein the first switch module controls the first switching control unit by a pressing manner. A computer system comprising: a power supply module; a control module; and a power switching system electrically connected to the power supply module and the control module, the power switching system comprising: a first power input The terminal is electrically connected to the power supply module for inputting a first power signal; a first power output terminal for outputting a second power signal to the control module; a first linear regulator The module includes: a first voltage conversion unit electrically connected to the first power input end and the first power output end for converting the first power signal into the second power signal; and a first a switching control unit electrically connected to the first voltage transformation unit for controlling the first voltage transformation unit; and a first switch module electrically connected to the first switching control unit and the first power input end And a grounding end, wherein when the first switching module is activated, the first switching control unit is connected to the grounding end to further control the first variable voltage unit to stop outputting the second power signal. The computer system of claim 7, wherein the power switching system further comprises: a second switch module electrically connected to the first switch module for actuating the first switch module And generating a potential conversion signal; and a trigger module electrically connected to the second switch module for generating a trigger signal according to the potential conversion signal; wherein the control module is electrically connected to the trigger module Connected to receive the trigger signal. The computer system of claim 8, wherein the power switching system further comprises: a second power input end electrically connected to the power supply module for inputting a third power signal; a second power supply terminal for outputting a fourth power signal; and a second linear voltage regulator module, comprising: a second voltage transformation unit electrically connected to the second power input terminal and the second power output terminal The second power control signal is used to convert the third power signal to the fourth power signal; and a second switching control unit is electrically connected to the second power conversion unit and the first power output terminal, according to the second power signal The second voltage transformation unit is controlled to determine whether to continue or stop outputting the fourth power signal. The computer system of claim 9, wherein the fourth power signal is transmitted to a central processing module. The computer system of claim 8, wherein the second switch module is a pair of MOS transistors. The computer system of claim 7, wherein the control module is a keyboard controller. The computer system of claim 7, wherein the first switch module controls the first switching control unit by a pressing manner. A computer system restart control method is for a computer system, the computer system includes a power switching system and a control module, the power switching system has a first switch module, and the method comprises the following steps: receiving a The power signal is transmitted to the control module; the power signal is stopped to the control module; a booting process is executed to resume receiving the power signal; and it is determined whether the power signal is stopped by actuating the first switch module to The control module; if not, executing a normal reboot procedure; and if so, executing a special reboot procedure. The method of re-booting the computer system according to claim 14, wherein the power switching system further comprises a second switch module and a trigger module; wherein the step of stopping transmitting the power signal to the control module comprises When the first switch module is activated, stopping the transmission of the power signal and generating a potential conversion signal by the second switch module; and converting the signal according to the potential to generate a trigger signal by the trigger module; The step of stopping the transmission of the power signal to the control module by the first switch module further includes: determining whether the trigger signal is received by the control module. The method for restarting computer system control according to claim 14, wherein the step of executing the special restarting process comprises: performing an inspection procedure on the computer system. The method for restarting computer system control according to claim 16, wherein the step of executing the checking program comprises: checking a software program inside the computer system and a state of a hardware module. The method for restarting computer system control according to claim 16, wherein the step of executing the checking program comprises: checking a state of at least one software program or at least one hardware module inside the computer system.